Water heater



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QAKLAND, EGALIFORNIA burner, corresponding with the demands on the waterheater.

' An important object of the present invention is to provide tor moreeffective control or" the heating burner by so positioning thethermostatic controlling device in relation to the water supply meansfor the water heater that said thermostatic controlling device will bemore quickly responsive to a condition requiring a control of theburner.

* tank 1 and the annular Another object of the invention is to provide'improved means for transmitting the heat irom. the burner to the waterin the heater tank.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanyin' embodiment of my invention thereto: 7

Fig. l is a vertical section of the heater.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 22 in Fig, 1, with the insulatingmaterial removed.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 in Fig 1.

As shown in the drawings my improved heater comprises a water receivingtank 1 which rests at the bottom on a base member 2 mounted on legs 3.Said water receiving tank 1 is provided at one side preferably near itslower end with a water inlet pipe 4 communicating with any suitablesource of water supply and communicating with tank 1 through a nipples).Water tank 1 1s further provided at its upper end with a hot wateroutlet pipe 6. A drain pipe 7 maybe connected to the lower part of tank1,sa1d drain pipe being normally closed by valve 8.

Surrounding drawings illustrate an and referringthe water tank 1 18 avertical cylindrical shell 10 which is secured at its lower end-to anannular flange 13 on the base member. 2 and is spaced from thecylindrical tank 1 so as to form a space 11 around said tank 1for'recei'ving hot combustion gases. The base member 2 is provided withlugs 15 projecting inwardly fromthe annular flange 13, and the tank 1rests on said lugs, the construction being such as to leave openings 16.between the bottom edge of flange 13 through through 1, i924. Serial no.roaeea which hot'combustion gases may pass from the combustion chamberupwardly into the space 11. Base member 2 is provided with a groove 14for receiving anywater condensed in the inner shell and drippingtherefrom, such drip being eventually evaporated by the heat from theburner. A cover member 17 extends over the water tank 1 and is pro videdwith an annular flange 18 extending within the upper end of cylindricalshell 10 to aid in supporting the same, said/cover member being-spacedfrom the top 19 of tank 1 so as to form a passage 20 through which thegases may pass from the space 11 to'an outlet pipe 21 in saidcovermember 17. The water outlet pipe 6 extends said cover member and servesto center the same. I prefer also'to provide an outside sheathing ofinsulating material the same consisting for example of finely dividedinsulation of any suitable kind,indicated at 22, packed between thecylindrical shell 10 and an outer shell 23 which is mounted at its lowerend on a horizontally flanged ring 24 engaging in notches 26 in thesupporting legs 8. The cover member 17 may be provided with a peripheralflange 27 engaging the upper end of the outer shell 23 to hold the samein place. A. baflie plate 28 may be mounted on the cylindrical shell. 10at or near the upper end of the water tank 1 and may be provided with aplurality of openings 29 at its inner edge so as to allow sufficientspace around and close to said water tank to permit restricted outflowof the hot. combustion gases from the space 11 to the outlet passage 20.In order to accomplish effective restriction of flow at this pointwithout interfering withthe draft, I prefer to make the total area ofthe openings 29 substantially equal to the area of outlet 21,.

Base member 2 may be provided with ahorizontal flange 30 resting oninturned horizontal lugs 31 on the respective legs 3 and secured theretoby screws 32. Said base member is further provided with an inwardly anddownwardly tapering or conical flange 38 having an opening 3d at itslower end, the space between said flanges 33 and 13 and the bottom 35 oftank 1 forming a combustion chamber 36. Positioned below said combustionchamber and adjacent to the opening 34 is a burner 37 of any suitableconstruction having inlet pipe 38, and

a mixing valvew39 for admitting air to the gas supplied through a pipe40.

The thermostatic control means comprises a valve-41 connected-betweenthe pipe 40 and a gas supply pipe 42 said valve being operated by aconnection to a thermostatic control device indicated at 43 into thewater tank 1. An important feature of my invention isthat thisthermostatic device 43 extends into the water tank 1 through the nipple5, connected to water inlet pipe 4 so that the water which passes intothe water tank 1 passes around, and in contact with the thermostaticdevice 43 with the result that the operation of the thermostatic devicein control of the fuel supply to the burner is rendered more rapid andeffective as hereinafter described.

I prefer to provide a heating element 45 in the bottom 35 of the watertank 1 so as to provide for more rapid and effective heating of water insaid tank. Said heating element may consist of a hollow member of brassor other heat conducting material having. a substantially tubular bodyand closed at its upper end but open at its lower end to receive the hotcombustion gases arising from the burner 37, said member having a screwportion 46 adapted to screw in an opening 47 in the bottom 35, the saidmember 45 being preferably provided at its lower .end with projectionsor arms 48 which extend downwardly and outwardly into the combustionchamber so as to take up heat from the hot combustion gases and from theflame, the heat so taken up being conducted through the body of member45 into the water tank.

The operation is as follows:

The pipe 4 being in communication with a water service pipe, water flowsinto the tank 1 until said tank and the service connections therefromare filled. Gas is admitted to burner 37 and is ignited, the gas burning.within the combustion chamber 86, and the hot products of combustionflow from the combustion chamber through the openings .6 into the space11 between the shell of tank 1 and the cylindrical casing member 10 andfinally passes through openings 29 into the upper chamber 20 and thenceto the outlet .21. The contents of tank 1 are heated by the conductionof heat through the walls of the tank and this heating operation isaccelerated by the heating element 45 by means of its arms 48 projectinginto the combustion chamber rapidly takes up the heat and conducts it tothe body of water in the tank.' The transfer of heat from the hot gasesto the water is also rendered more effective by the restrictive openings29, which cause all the hot gases to pass in close contact with the wallof the tank at this point. When the contents of the tank have beensufiiciently heated the thermo static device 43 operates to cut ofi or.re

and extending aeoaoai .the cold water supplied in this manner actsimmediately to lower the,temperature of the thermostatic device,resulting in immediate opening or increase in opening of thethermostatic valve 41 and correspondingly rapid increase of the supplyof gas to the burner. The response of the thermostatic'device to thecondition requiring increase of gas supply is therefore much morerapid-- and effective than i's-the-case with a thermostatic device whichis subjet only to the general temperature of the water in. the tank, Itwill be seen however, that since the thermostatic element 43 extendsinto the interior of the tank it will be responsive in part to thetemperature of the water in the tank as well as to that of the waterentering the tank. The operation of the thermostatic device willtherefore be dependent on the combined result of cold'water inflow andtemperature within the tank, which is quite advantageous. i

What I claim is: H 1. In a water heater, the combination of .a waterreceiving tank, a combustion chamber below said tank, burner means belowsaid combustion chamber to produce hot products of combustion forheating said tank, and a heating element mounted in the bottom of saidtank and provided with arms projecting into said combustion cham her fortaking up heat from the hot products of combustion in said chamber, saidheating element being also provided with a portion projecting into thetank for conducting heat to the water in said tank, and

said

hollow to permit access of hot gases from llO portion projecting intothe tank being the combustion-chamber to the interior of a said heatingelement and also permit radiation ofheat from said burner means to theinterior of said heating element.

2. A water heater comprising ,a base formed with an annular flange andwith a downwardly converging conical flange, legs upon which said baseis mounted, a tank resting on said its bottom extending over said baseto form therewith a combustion chamber, a cylindrical shell surroundingthe said vertical cylindrical tank and mounted at its lower end on saidannular flange, an'outer shell surrounding said first named shell andmounted on its lower end on said legs,'a cover member extending over thesaid tank and over said shells and provided with an outlet for gases,

the said tank being spaced from said inner shell and from said covermember to form a pass gases and said annular being provided with lugs eon the base or supporting the said tank and adapted to form openingsbetween said lugs for passage of hot gaseous products from thecombustion chamber to the space between the tank and the inner shell I3. A water heater comprising a base mem- -ber, legs' on which said basemember is mounted, a water tank mounted on said base member, said basemember having lugs supporting said tank and forming passages betweensaid lugs, and said base member having a downwardly tapering flangeforming in conjunction with the bottom of said tank,

the opening at the lower age for combustion a combustion chamber, aburner located at end of said flange, an inner shell surrounding saidtank and mounted on said base member, leaving a space between the saidshell and tank, communicating with the aforesaid passages, and a covermeans extendin over said shell and tank provided with ouet meanscommunicating with said space.

L. A heater as set forth-in claim 3 and comprising in addition, anoutershell surrounding said inner shell and mounted on said legs, andinsulation between said outer and inner shells.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this th day ofMarch,

GEORGE D. WILCOX.

